Needs of the Many
by drakien
Summary: Though probably not his intention, he’d flat-out admitted that he needed her. The absolute idiot man.


Title: Needs of the Many

Rated T

**A/N **- Set immediately after 'Journey's End' and the tragic parting of ways most accurately described in a piece on deviantART by Girl-on-the-Moon, entitled 'ROSE PWNS MARTHA': "Rose had a goodbye so sad, everyone cried. Even Daleks."

* * *

'_He needs you…that's very me.'_

Rose heard those words repeat over and over in her mind as she watched the TARDIS dematerialize. Though probably not his intention, he'd flat-out admitted that _he_ needed her as well. For once, there was no beating around the bush, no dodging the issue, no vagueness. The absolute _idiot_ man.

Well, she'd found her way back to him once. She'd just have to do it again. Rose looked at the new Doctor, who was watching her sadly.

"I have to…," she started to explain, but he interrupted.

"I know. And no matter what, remember what I said…what _we_ said."

How could she ever forget? After all this time, she knew for certain. He needed her. Wanted her. But he was leaving her behind, giving _himself_ to her, in a way that he thought she needed him.

He was wrong. Rose had never needed him to be human, someone to grow old and settle down with. Of course, she had thought about having a family of her own, but had long ago realized that he _was_ her family…and that she was complete with him, on the TARDIS. She wanted a mortgage less than he did, if that were possible.

Rose still hesitated, though. This human Doctor, her Doctor but not…how could she leave him here in this Universe, all alone? Because her Doctor was right…the new Doctor was him as well, and he did need her.

'_There is a way,'_ a voice whispered in her mind. Rose's eyes widened fractionally. Bad Wolf, silent and dormant for so long, had returned.

'_Tell me,'_ she pleaded.

Bad Wolf showed her, and Rose felt her veins fill with the fire of the Time Vortex once more. It was more controlled this time, less overwhelming. She absently wondered if it was because she no longer directly held the Vortex inside her, or if it was because she knew what to expect…had grown and become stronger since then. Perhaps both.

She took a step forward and held out her hand to the new Doctor, her human Doctor. He looked puzzled, but laced his fingers with her own.

A yellow orange light arced between them, then slowly solidified.

It was her. Another metacrisis, a stable one that would survive the experience, as Rose knew Donna would not.

While the Doctor gaped, Rose reached out to tug his jacket off his shoulders and wrap it around her new self.

"I have to go. Stay with him," Rose said softly. "They need us both."

"I will," she replied, taking the Doctor's hand in her own and leaning against his shoulder. "Always."

He recovered slightly, almost absently wrapping his arm around her.

"Rose?"

"She is me," she replied. "And we want to spend our lives with you both. Besides," she teased. "What would the other Universe be without Rose Tyler?"

"A cold, empty place," he replied, then looked down at the woman in his arms. "Forever?"

"Forever," she affirmed, pulling him close.

Rose smiled, then reached out to Bad Wolf.

'_Take me home,'_ she said.

'_All you ever needed to do was ask.'_

As the new Doctor and his new Rose watched, a bright yellow light slowly wrapped itself around Rose. It grew brighter and brighter, until the two were forced to look away and cover their eyes. With a brilliant flash, Rose was gone.

They stood still for a minute, staring at the place she had been standing, before turning to each other.

"Forever?" she teased lightly.

"Most definitely," he confirmed, and bent down to kiss her thoroughly.

**oXoXoXo**

The Doctor stood at the console, his sodden jacket discarded on the floor beside him. He swallowed thickly, and though he was all alone, refused to give in to the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He would not cry; he would stay strong. He was the Doctor, not some lovesick adolescent. But his chest ached, and he absently wondered if hearts could actually break.

So wrapped up in his misery, it took him almost a full minute to notice the light of the time rotor growing brighter and brighter. His eyes widened as panic set in. Not that…anything but that. After so much pain, he couldn't lose his TARDIS as well.

Before he could even move, however, there was a flash of golden light and a soundless explosion that knocked him backwards and to the ground.

He pushed himself into a sitting position slowly, holding his head. He was afraid to look, afraid he would see the time rotor dark and empty. Then he heard it. The TARDIS, humming happily. He steeled himself and brought his head up. And blinked.

It was Rose, and it was Bad Wolf, just like it had been on Satellite 5. But then a strange thing happened. As he watched, the gold faded from her eyes, leaving them their normal color. And then it was just Rose, a very concerned Rose that rushed over to his side.

"Doctor!" she exclaimed. "Blimey, this is all my fault…are you okay? Did you hit your head?"

She spoke rapidly, busily checking him for injuries.

As his brain finally rebooted, he found himself inexplicably angry, and knocked her hands away.

"Rose, what… How could you leave him?!" he exclaimed, incredulous and practically shouting. "Do you have any idea what could…"

His tirade was cut off when she brought a hand up to cover his mouth. Her other hand brought his fingers up to rest lightly against her temple, and she showed him. Everything. She showed him her feelings, how they'd developed from admiration and awe into love. She showed him Bad Wolf, how she had been able to feel _him_ as she held the Time Vortex within her. She showed him the beach, after he left, letting the events speak for themselves. And most of all, she showed him how much she needed him.

She finally let his hand drop. "You see?" she whispered, her eyes wet. "I couldn't leave you, not like that…not after what you said."

He swallowed again, but this time it wasn't grief that made the action nearly impossible. "Rose," he choked out, and then she was in his arms, and he was in hers, and neither of them ever planned on letting go.

After all, the Doctor needed her as much as she needed him, and each of them needed a hand to hold as they faced the Universe together.

* * *

**A/N #2** – _Hope everyone enjoyed this; it was a lot of fun to write. Even though the episode had me bawling, the idea of a biological metacrisis has me intrigued. Be warned that it will probably show up in later fics. Shouts out to my beta, Rickmanlover24601, who keeps me honest (and finds the random words I apparently leave out when I write). To my darling Lone Butterfly, I'm sorry for dragging you into another fandom, but it's your own fault for getting me into HGSS; payback, baby! CALL ME._


End file.
